Mantis Bio Block – 2 Pack

Description

Mantis Bio Block – 2 Pack — Ceramic biological filter media for sumps and wet/dry filters

A biofilter only works as well as the surface its bacteria have to colonise, and a block of inert ceramic gives them far more of it than loose gravel or a sponge ever could. Mantis Bio Block – 2 Pack (SKU: MA069701) is an inert ceramic biological filter media with an open flow architecture, built to carry a large colony of nitrifying bacteria while still letting water pass freely through the block. Each block measures 100 × 100 × 25 mm, and the pack of two is sized to sit in a sump tray, a wet/dry trickle chamber or a hang-on-back filter basket without being cut or broken up. The ceramic is inert, so it adds no minerals or buffering of its own to the water column; it is there purely as a surface for the colony to grow on.

The block’s surface is described as microporous, with a large specific surface area, and a supplier listing puts it at roughly 1080 m² per block once the internal pore structure is accounted for. That surface supports a stable, highly active biofilm that processes ammonia and nitrite, and the three-dimensional void structure is also reported to help limit bacterial build-up within the media itself. Beyond straightforward biofiltration, the open block face works as a base for sponge growth, micro-fauna and even coral frags kept in a sump refugium. It suits sumps, trickle filters, wet/dry towers, hang-on-back filters, or placement directly in the aquarium, and is rated for freshwater, marine and pond systems alike.

Usage & Application

When to Use

• New filter set-up: Seeding a sump, wet/dry tower or HOB basket with a high-surface-area media from day one.
• Upgrading from gravel or balls: Replacing lower-surface-area media with a block offering a larger bacterial colony.
• Sump refugiums: Providing a stable base for sponge growth, micro-fauna and small coral frags.
• Freshwater, marine or pond: Any biological filter chamber across any of the three water types.

Placement & Usage Guide

• Rinse before use: Run the block under tap water to clear dust before it goes into the filter.
• Seat in the flow path: Place it where water must pass through rather than around it, in a tray, basket or chamber.
• Leave it undisturbed: Avoid removing or scrubbing the block once a colony has established; rinse gently if needed.
• Pair as needed: Use the two blocks together or split between two filter stages for extra capacity.

Product Specifications & Highlights

Key Features

• Inert ceramic construction: Adds no minerals or buffering, acting purely as a bacterial surface.
• Open flow architecture: Lets water pass through the block rather than around it.
• High surface area: Listed at around 1080 m² per block from the microporous structure.
• Fixed block size: 100 × 100 × 25 mm, sized for sump trays and filter baskets without cutting.
• Multi-purpose surface: Also used as a base for sponge growth, micro-fauna and frags.

Product Details

• Brand: Mantis
• SKU: MA069701
• Product Type: Filter Media > Ceramic Biological Media (Blocks)
• Pack Contents: 2 ceramic bio blocks
• Block Size: 100 × 100 × 25 mm each
• Material: Inert, microporous ceramic
• Suitable Filters: Sumps, trickle/wet-dry towers, hang-on-back filters, or placed directly in the aquarium
• Target Environment: Freshwater, marine and pond aquariums